Kodachrome
by fairywine
Summary: :Fate/Stay Night: :Character drabbles: Their sight is tinted with a thousand different colors.
1. Kodachrome

**Title:** **Kodachrome**

**Rating: **PG  
**Characters: **Shirou (Shirou x Saber-ish), Rider (Rider x Sakura friendship/more than that if you want to look at it that way), Berserker  
**Word Count: **813  
**Warning/s: **A few minor spoilers, nothing major.  
**Summary: **Their sight is tinted with a thousand different colors.  
**Dedication: **To fujiwara san. The Shirou x Saber drabblet I wrote for you really got the ball rolling on the rest of these. FUJI-NEE YOU ARE LOVE.  
**A/N:**Just a little something until I finish the next chapter of _Road to Perdition_. Originally started as a writing exercise of sorts, I liked these three drabbles enough to post them up. Proof I actually **can** write something besides Archer x Rin (not that there is anything wrong with that). As always, anything for more participation at fsn(underscore)fiction. For those who want to know, the poem Rider reads is an excerpt from _Merope_ by Matthew Arnold, and the name of the overall drabble set comes from the Paul Simon song of the same name. There will probably be more to come, as it is helpful to write these little things to get the mind going.

Cross-posted to fsn(underscore)fiction and my personal lj.

_**Blue Sight-Shirou**_

* * *

Shirou sees blue everywhere lately. Blue and gold and silver; in the sky, in the moon, in the sunlight glancing off the skyscrapers in the morning. The harder he tries not to look the more obvious it becomes a lion just within his sight, following his every move. _Tireless hunter_. Colors are endlessly patient, they stay until time and light and wear bleed them away to untouched white.

He told Tohsaka _I may not always love Saber, but I'll always remember that I loved her_; it's true, really. Until he catches a glimpse of blue (or silver, or gold, it both matters and doesn't) and feels his heart trying to escape his chest. A caged bird desperately seeking escape (_again drawn to the blue, blue sky_).

_Red strings_, Shirou thinks, feeling bitter and reminiscent at the same time. His string turned blue the moment he saw her; winding its way around his heart til he couldn't escape even if he wanted to.

And try as he might, Shirou _doesn't_ want to. But he's always been foolish like that.

_**Black Sight-Rider**_

* * *

For all that Rider's gaze is hidden from the world she sees more than anyone else. Archer has his Reinforced vision, Caster her crystal ball, Saber her heightened instinct. But they only see the world anyone can see; all flesh and metal, not what lies beneath the surface. Pain, joy, sorrow, emptiness; many paint strokes on the canvas of the soul. Rider sees them all; no matter how skillfully they are hidden.

There are worlds contained within her eyes.

It is a well-known fact that Servants are matched up with like minded Masters; Sakura's pain is hidden best of all behind a sweet, demure mask. Rider hadn't been so startled by a human in a long time; it makes her want to try even harder for the girl in whom she sees so much of herself. In hurt, in want, in seeing what no one else does. They both have a million fractures behinds their masks, a million fragments of _Sister I love you_ and _Sister I hate you_ and _Sister how could you_.

So she reads to Sakura, her Master's head resting tentatively on her shoulder. Rider sees through those ink and paper hearts as easily as she does flesh and blood, but the kind lies of fiction grant them a precious reprieve from harsh reality. Rider has a lovely voice, hypnotic and captivating as a swaying cobra rearing to strike.

So blindfolded Rider is the only one who sees when Sakura hands her the book with that shy smile; even as her hair intertwines with Rider's, saying _This one, please_. She is the only one who sees even as she begins to read; _Peace, peace is what I seek and public calm/ Endless extinction of unhappy hates…_

And for a short while there is tranquility; ever-seeing woman and girl with their masks, the sound of a soothing voice, the scent of old books. It is a moment only the two of them can value to the fullest.

And they both truly do.

_**Lead Sight-Berserker**_

* * *

Sometimes in the back of his mind, in those rare, rare moments free of madness Berserker feels a whole range of emotions. The few seconds he is granted before his mind is dragged back into a miasma of feral chaos are filled with despair, with envy, with longing. Berserker makes the most of them; for all his brawn he is far more intelligent than most people think. But that is the way it has always been. Berserker's fame comes from being the strongest of heroes, not the noblest or most cunning.

It's a point of view with some merit. But people often forget that getting through The Twelve Labors took more than just muscle. It isn't often he gets to prove his intelligence, even if it doesn't nearly come close to that of Caster or Archer.

He thinks of all this in the rapidly shrinking time after Caliburn takes him down, and feels almost happy for the first time since the war began. The most an eirei who doesn't win the Grail can ask for is a defeat worthy of a great hero; together Saber and her Master along with the Archer's Master managed to give him that much. A reward for giving that unknown Archer an honorable end, perhaps? Berserker liked to think so, although such a worthy opponent deserved an equally worthy end regardless.

It is only for a few moments, but during the short time before he fades out, Berserker feels like himself again. Even as the dull metal sheen of his skin fades away before his eyes, Berserker is oddly pleased. He has met his end, but it took one of history's greatest swords and greatest heroes to do it.

For the smallest fraction of time he is free, free as a Servant ever can be. It passes quickly, though, and soon there is nothing at all.


	2. Chess and Cinema

**Title:** **Chess and Cinema**

**Rating:** PG

**Characters:** Shirou, Saber, Shirou x Saber

**Word Count: **408

**Warnings:** Zero. Now _that's_ a first.

**Dedication:** To Fuji-nee. I liked the Shirou x Saber drabbles I wrote for you so much, I decided to post them just for the heck of it. I wish you'd do the same for the Archer x Rin drabble you wrote-it's too good to just disappear in the post.

**A/N**: Just two little Shirou x Saber drabbles, as stated above. Enjoy, please.

Cross-posted to fsn(underscore)fiction and my personal lj.

**_Chess-PG-Shirou x Saber_

* * *

**

To while away the time between Shirou's arrival home from school to nightfall, Saber and Shirou go to great lengths, from shogi to go to hanafuda before finally finding a respite in chess. It is a good game for Saber, who read the modern rule book once, then proceeded to soundly beat Shirou at every single match. He doesn't mind though. The glint in Saber's eyes as she thinks up dozens of different strategies, the subtle curl of her lips right before checkmate, even the way she handles the knight pieces with an odd sort of care. Rewarded with treasures like those, in the end he feels he is the real winner.

Crushing loss in twelve moves or not.

"Try castling, Shirou." Saber says, serious as a general in a war room. "You lose the game if you do not protect the king."

He couldn't agree with her more.

**_Cinemaphile-PG-Shirou x Saber_****

* * *

**

There are some things in Shirou's modern day world Saber has taken to better than others. At first, the consequences of letting her near the stove were disastrous; even now Saber is not allowed to touch the computer ("They're so expensive to replace, Emiya-kun, especially on a regular basis." Rin had said without malice). But there are things Saber loves: hot baths, chocolate, stuffed animals.

It was all stuff of a charming nature, until a Japanese-dubbed version of _Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon_ played on the TV one night. Shirou had encouraged Saber to try it, in the spirit of relaxation. Her initial reluctance had quickly melted away, and towards the end Saber was all but pressing her face against the screen, drawn in by a tale of honor and love and martial arts.

It was then Shirou made the mistake of telling her there were two more such movies made in a similar vein. One hopeful look later, he found himself at the local rental store, trying to explain to the clerk why he desperately needed copies of _House of Flying Daggers_ and _Hero_ three minutes before closing.

_I've created a monster,_ Shirou thinks to himself as Saber looks on in wonder. _And I don't care at all._

He returns his attention to the phone. With any luck, the copy of _Enter the Dragon_ he has just finished ordering should be there in two days. When Saber offers him the popcorn with that little smile of hers, it is worth all the effort.


	3. Salty Dog

**Title:** Salty Dog  
**Rating: **PG  
**Characters: **Lancer, Sakura, Lancer x Sakura (feel free to WTF now)  
**Word Count: **203  
**Warning/s: **Nothing really, unless you consider Hollow Ataraxia a spoiler.  
**Summary: **It is at the docks that they first run into each other on a regular basis.  
**Dedication: **To katiroth. We talked about LancerSaku and then I _had_ to write this, short though it may be. I hope you feel better. ♥  
**A/N:**My first drabble as a mod -points to icon after short prayer of praise to chained angel13-. I really should finish chapter 3 of _Gilded Hawthorn_, but one thing led to another and this drabble was born. Uh, yay crack pairings? -sweatdrops- For those of you who are wondering why Lancer is fishing in the first place, this drabble can be seen as being set in Hollow Ataraxia(the sequel to F/SN)in which one of the things Lancer does is spend time fishing at the docks. And can I recommend listening to Flogging Molly for anyone who wants to fic Lancer? Seriously, they're awesome, and this drabble is named for one of their songs. (C'mon, Salty Dog for the Hound of Culann, it's so perfect it's almost stupid). XD

Cross-posted to fsn(underscore)fiction and my personal lj.

**_Salty Dog-PG-Lancer x Sakura_**

* * *

It is at the docks that they first run into each other on a regular basis; Sakura seeking fresh fish for dinner, Lancer for the peace of mind casting a line into the sea gives him (_Bait, cast, wait. It is all a form of meditation_). He draws her eye, not because of his participation in the war, nor the easy skill with which he fishes, or even simple good looks. It is because Lancer is as comfortable in his skin as Sakura is out of place in her own, and it is that quality that fascinates her even more than it causes her envy. In the beginning Sakura would nod at him in acknowledgement, and receive a casual wave in reply; eventually she sits next to him and talks when she has the time. 

One day, she mentions her disappointment at the lack of fresh saury. The next time she sees Lancer there is a fresh one in a cooler waiting for her, cold and elemental as the ocean it had been taken from. Sakura gives him a kiss on the cheek in thanks (his skin tastes like the sea), and at his flush thinks she wouldn't mind kissing him again.

So she does.


	4. Rain in Three Parts

**Title:** Rain in Three Parts  
**Rating: **PG-13 (For some married couple sheningans)  
**Characters: **Emiya Kiritsugu, Irisviel von Einzbern, Kiritsugu x Irisviel  
**Word Count: **1,122  
**Warning/s: **Some Fate/Zero spoilers. Nothing that major, though.  
**Summary: **The symbolism of rain is threefold.  
**Dedication: **To **yukari rin**. I have no idea whether you support this pairing (or hell,if you even know who Irisviel is), but you're writing me Archer x Rin smut, and I wanted to dedicate _something_ to you, so there.  
**A/N:**This is my contribution to **fsn(underscore)fiction**'s April challenge. Most of my notes are after the fic, but for those of you who don't know who Irisviel is…you can find some helpful links in the original post for this on my lj. I tried to make it more or less clear in the fic who she was, but you can get all the details at the link.

Cross-posted to **fsn(underscore)fiction** and my personal lj.

_**Downpour**_  
----------------------------------------------------------------

It was raining, the kind of heavy Germanic rain that made the Great Flood not only seem possible, but mild in comparison. A more superstitious man might have taken it as an ill omen, but Emiya Kiritsugu was made of sterner stuff then that. Even a week before he was set to summon his Servant and head to Japan, the mage was the very picture of calm.

The sound of tea being poured took him out of his contemplation of the downfall. Irisviel passed him his cup (plain, the way he preferred it) with that smile that he never tired of, even after eight years. Kiritsugu took the cup without a word, not bothering to give voice to the thanks he felt. Expressiveness always came awkwardly to him, and his wife understood well enough that his actions spoke where his words did not. That he was grateful for the things she did for him even when he didn't say as such. That he loved her even if the number of times he had actually said those words to her could be counted on one hand.

"Does the weather displease you, Kiritsugu? You're frowning." Irisviel spoke up over the rim of her teacup, lips tilted slightly upward. "Formidable though it may be, I don't think it's going to have much of an effect."

Kiritsugu snorted slightly as he leaned back in his chair. "It's just rain. It only concerns me as far as it has an effect on my weapons. Metal and water don't mix well."

"You would know better than I." Irisviel replied, fingertip idly tracing the peony pattern on the cup. The ivory-haired woman smiled playfully. "But I do like the rain. It comes from the sky and revitalizes the earth. Nothing is lovelier than the garden flowers after rainfall."

Kiritsugu only sipped his tea in response, thinking that his wife couldn't be more wrong. After all, she was far more beautiful than any simple plant, no matter how pleasing to the senses of sight and smell.

Of course, he doesn't tell her this. It's one of the many things he would find himself regretting later.

----------------------------------------------------------------  
_**Storm**_

Hours later the rain is still coming down as hard as ever, but in the dark and quiet of their bedroom the sound is muted enough to be oddly soothing, like a distant heartbeat. Nonetheless, Kiritsugu isn't paying the rain much mind, occupied by the woman curled up in his arms. Waves of silky white hair spill down Irisviel's back, covering the both of them, and though Kiritsugu is hardly a poetic man and not at all given to flights of fancy, he is reminded of the pure white wings of angels(if anyone can save him, she can). He gently twined his fingers around a few loose strands, trying not to compare it to a lifeline, the last hope of a desperate man. Each breath he took was filled with the scent of lilies and rain and something uniquely _Irisviel_. Kiritsugu had never wanted much in life, but wished for a brief second that the peace of this moment with his wife would last beyond the night.

Almost as if she read his mind, Irisviel stirred to wakefulness, kissing his neck lightly before she caught sight of the look on his face. She brought her hand to his face (she knew her touch alone couldn't take away his cares, but it has never stopped her from trying and it never will).

"Kiritsugu?"

His arms tightened around her, bringing her close. "Things were easier when I didn't have so much to lose."

"That may be true." Irisviel murmured, voice soft with the understanding only she possessed in regards to him. "But were they better?"

"Never. But Iri, if anything happens to you-"

Irisviel pressed one slender finger to Kiritsugu's lips, silencing him.

"You helped me gain happiness, even in my existence as a puppet. I will support you in all you do, but you must not falter in your goals." She smiled tenderly at him before lightly brushing her lips against his. "I am not afraid."

Kiritsugu said nothing in response, but the kiss he gave Irisviel meant so much more than simple words. Expressive, true, loving.

Removed from the warmth and dim light of the couple's bedroom, the freezing cold rain came down without relent.

----------------------------------------------------------------  
_**Shower**_

Seven days later, it was raining again, a light shower covering the land. Though it was cool and grey outside, the light of the summoning circle Kiritsugu was standing in front of chased the darkness to the corners of the room. An ancient sheath held in one hand, grimore in the other, the mage's focus was set solely on the working and the chant he was reciting. Behind him, close enough to provide additional support as it was needed but distant enough not to obstruct him, Irisviel watched silently.

"_**I command thee. Thou shalt come forth to my side. Thy sword shalt control my fate. Abiding by the Holy Grail's haven, if thou accedest to this will and reason, then answer me. The oath set forth here. I am the embodiment of good in the eternal world. I am the disposer of evil in the eternal world. Thee, the seven heavens that bear the great trinity, come forth from the circle of constraint**_." The glowing circle brightened like a miniature sun the second Kiritsugu placed the sheath on it, yet neither mage flinched from the glare.

"_**O, guardian of the balance!**_"

Slowly, a figure clad in blue and steel armor rose out from the circle. Kneeling in front of Kiritsugu, the eirei spoke.

"Servant Saber. My sword will be with you, my fate is in line with yours, Master."

Kiritsugu's expression didn't change, though the subtle widening of his eyes told Irisviel his Servant wasn't exactly what he had been expecting. Nonetheless, the mage didn't falter in his response.

"You are Arthur Pendragon, Servant Saber?"

A regal nod. "Yes, Master. May I request the name of the one who summoned me?"

"I am Emiya Kiritsugu. My companion is Irisviel von Einzbern. She will be your partner."

"As you will, Master."

Unseen by all the occupants of the windowless room that held the summoning circle, the rain stopped. Looking back on it later, Irisviel would wonder more than once if that had been the defining sign of what would come for them in the Fourth Holy Grail War. Symbolism is an important aspect of the alchemic arts she was a master of, and it is well known that the heavenly origins of rain symbolize the blessings and revelations of the divine.

Had the secession of the rain been a sign of the benediction being revoked? 

----------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Okay, for something so short, a ridiculous amount of fact-checking went into it. I even checked the translations on the Beast's Lair board to make sure certain things were accurate: specifically that (a)Irisviel _was_ Kiritsugu's wife (which shouldn't really come as a surprise, since I don't think the Einzbern's would have wanted Ilya to be illegitimate), (b)that her personality as well as fervent support of Kiritsugu's goals were accurate, and (c)that Kiritsugu's nickname for her was Iri. I found that last one especially cute, coming from such a restrained guy. You can tell he was crazy about her, in his own way.

Fpr those of you out there who know me as "that crazy chick who is utterly rabid about Archer, Rin, and Archer x Rin", what won me over to Kiri x Iri (though it has by no means unseated Archer x Rin as my OTP of all time), was the translation of the Fate/Zero prologue as well as the utterly squee worthy fanart of them by the artist StParusu (I could be wrong about the name, by the way. It's the same artist who does the Childcare is War doujinshi, if that helps).

Anyway, to get to the main point, this fic is divided into three mini-sections, each symbolizing a different aspect of rain and the couple, which are as follows:  
1.Tears and emotional release (or lack of it in his case)-Kiritsugu  
2.Fertility and the sexual act-Kiritsugu and Irisviel  
3.Divine blessing and revelation via it's heavenly origins-Irisviel.

I don't have the translation for when Kiritsugu summoned Saber, so that part is probably off a little. I used Rin's summoning spell from the anime (they were trying to get the same Servant, after all) and the fact the original summoning circle was in his storeroom in place. Either way, it's fairly close to canon.


	5. Moonlit Toast

**Title:** Moonlit Toast  
**Rating: **PG  
**Characters: **Rider, Rin  
**Word Count: **591  
**Warning/s: **Minor spoilers for _Heaven's Feel_, but nothing too huge.  
**Summary: **Mortality has a bitter tang indeed.  
**Dedication: **For **katiroth**! I hope you have a happy birthday, and enjoy the ficlet. It's a bit more melancholy than I wanted, but it's chock full of Rider, and that's what counts the most. XD And the poem she's reading at the beginning? _Ozymandias_. I thought it fit nicely.  
**A/N: **For the September 07 challenge at **31(underscore)days**: _You look a little bit older, a little bit colder_.

Cross-posted to **fsn(underscore)fiction**, **31(underscore)days** and my personal lj.

_**Moonlit Toast-Rider, Rin**_

_

* * *

_

Rider carefully turned another page of her copy of _Shelley's Poetry and Prose_ as she listened to the sounds of Sakura's birthday party, slightly muffled by the shoji dividing the engawa from the Emiya household. Much as the chatter, clinking of table ware, and the soft sound of Sakura's laughter warmed her heart, she had never been comfortable around large groups of people. The tranquil scene of moonlight falling over the garden, bringing with it a near ethereal illumination, was soothing in a way Rider had developed a keen appreciation for long ago.

Behind her Rider heard the soft whisper of the shoji door sliding open and shut before Rin sat down next to her.

"Sake?" Rin asked, procuring a small bottle and two cups with a slightly mischievous smile. "I managed to save the best bottle from Taiga-she guzzles this stuff down like water."

Rider's eyes gleamed behind her glasses as she took a closer look at the label. Rin certainly wasn't exaggerating about the high quality of the sake. A fine bottle of Junmai Daiginjo-shu like the one the Servant was holding deserved to be imbibed with a certain amount of appreciation.

"Was a crowbar necessary?" Rider quipped dryly as she uncorked the bottle with a deft twist of her wrist, filling the two choko in one smooth motion.

Rin chuckled slightly as she graciously accepted the cup. "Only a small one."

There was a comfortable quiet between the two women as they partook of the rice wine. Finally, Rin set down her empty cup with a ceramic clink, casting a sideways glance at Rider.

"Sakura's going to wonder where you are soon, you know." The magus murmured as she refilled her cup.

"I know," Rider replied, eyes focused on the wavering moon reflected in her cup. "I just needed to clear my head for a bit." With a gentle breath, the violet-haired eirei drained what was left in the choko. "It's a little hard to believe it's already been five years since the Fifth Grail War."

There was a pause charged with tension, though Rider's hand was perfectly steady as she poured more sake.

"One wouldn't know it by looking at you, Rider."

Rider's lips twisted into something that wasn't a smile.

"No, they wouldn't. Not in five years, not in twenty, not in fifty." She downed the cup in one movement, unsurprised at how the sake that had rested so delicately on her tongue only a minute before now slid sourly down her throat. Rider had learned of the bitter tang of mortality very early on, and its taste was as familiar to her as the sensation of the wind roaring in her ears, of nailed daggers tightly clutched in her hands.

Rin sighed softly, holding out her own cup for more. Rider replenished it without a word.

"And what will you do, all those years from now, Rider? When all of us are dead and gone, and the Throne of Heroes calls you back?"

For the first time since the younger woman stepped onto the engawa, Rider looked her right in the face.

"Live every moment until that time comes to the fullest. That's all you really can do, in the end."

Rin briefly closed her eyes, something like regret flashing across her face, before it disappeared as if it had never existed in the first place. The dark haired woman raised her choko slightly.

"I can toast to that," she replied, cup clinking against Rider's. "Kanpai."


	6. Pudding Pop

**Title:** Pudding Pop  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Characters: **Gilgamesh, Saber, Lancer, Karen, one-side Saber x Gil  
**Word Count: **933  
**Warning/s: **Minor Hollow Ataraxia spoilers, but nothing everyone doesn't already know.  
**Summary: **There's no such thing as a free lunch.  
**Dedication: **For **anonymous(underscore)proxy**. Here's my first Gil-ficcing, hope you enjoy. Note the use of the prompt in fic and title. -hearts-  
**A/N:**The song playing at the end, for those of you unable to tell, is _Ride of the Valkyries_, by Richard Wagner. It's actually meant to be played by an orchestra, but let's just say Karen uses her mad Church skills to retool it for the organ. XD

Fate/stay night © TYPE-MOON / Kadokawa Shoten / Studio DEEN.

Cross-posted to **fsn(underscore)fiction** and my personal lj.

* * *

Saber gritted her teeth, not bothering to hide the action from the smirking blonde seated across from her. Judging from the way those carnelian-colored eyes narrowed oh-so-slightly at the edges, doing so would have been a wasted effort. 

"Now, now, King of Knights. Don't hold yourself back on my account. I'm the one treating you, after all." Gilgamesh spoke, wreathed in a smile that made no effort to conceal its more predatory aspects. Only the need to keep what little dignity she had left kept Saber from snarling back.

Besides, _he'd_ probably enjoy it.

Wanting to look anywhere except that smirking face, Saber focused her gaze on the cafe table, all the while cursing herself for leaving her wallet in her usual blue skirt instead of the frilly looking maid uniform she had been practically forced into. She had already caught more than one (many more, come to think of it) appreciative look from her aurum-clad nemesis.

Even this action proved pointless, as a large hand, complete with a two gold rings that did more to say "I'm filthy rich" than the entire contents of DeBeers' diamond vaults, made its way into her vision. Languidly picking her spoon like he was doing it a favor, he stirred the large bowl of vanilla pudding that lay half-eaten in front of Saber.

"I'm surprised you haven't finished by this point, Saber. It'd be a shame to let this go to waste." Gilgamesh commented, oozing a kind of smug satisfaction that made Saber want to put the pudding to very good use indeed via tossing it at his face. If not for the small matter of her current money-less state, and the fact that her only means of paying the bill had to be kept relatively happy, the Servant would have done just that.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the Golden King's luck was currently overpowering her own. Her own carelessness in eating so much without checking to see if she could pay first had gotten her into this mess. Putting up with Gilgamesh until the bill was paid would be all that would get her out. Growling underneath her breath, Saber tried to concentrate on finishing the remainder of her meal as quickly as possible, and not the full force leer she was receiving.

In the maid uniform she was currently sporting, damn Caster and her dress-up fixation, this proved next to impossible. Never mind her own strong suspicion that a leer from Gilgamesh would make even a nun's habit feel about as modest as lingerie. She wasn't sure what was worse, the attention her mouth was getting or the way one of the Archer-class Servant's long legs would occasionally brush her own. Saber could feel the angry flush begin to rise beneath her cheeks, and quickly finished off her pudding before the redness became too obvious. Slamming down the empty bowl a tad harder than necessary, Saber pushed away her chair from the table, prepared to make a speedy exit.

Needless to say, turning her back to Gilgamesh was a mistake. Saber froze in a combination of intense rage and disbelief when she felt the King of Heroes right hand rest firmly on her bottom.

"It's a lovely outfit on you, Saber. Do give Caster my compliments, won't you?" Gilgamesh remarked without missing a beat, ignoring the abrupt flight of all the nearby birds menaced by the killing aura radiating from Saber's immobile frame.

Very, very slowly, Saber turned around.

* * *

Karen Ortensia, Fuyuki City's resident immodest nun, paused in the middle of her organ playing at the sound of the great double doors of the Kotomine Church opening. Normally this wouldn't have distracted her, but the scraping sound of someone dragging something heavy that had accompanied it had definitely caught her attention. The white-haired girl turned around to see one of her Servants dragging the bruised and bleeding body of the other into the cool sanctuary of the church. 

Karen blinked as she fully took the sight in, before sighing. _And bloodstains are such a **pain** to remove from fabric, too._

"You know, while I'm not surprised something like this happened, in my imagination it was always you being dragged in, Lancer, and Gilgamesh telling me the girls would be willing to settle out of court provided the restitution was of a respectable amount. Also, I believe there wouldn't be..." a pause while a closer look was had, "a spoon and several shards of ceramic embedded in your forehead."

Lancer opened his mouth to comment before he spotted the Red Cloth of Magdala rippling like a bloody river in Karen's hand, settling for the relative safety of his thoughts. _Demon._

Blearily, with eyes that were considerably unfocused, Gilgamesh looked at Karen, or at least in Karen's general vicinity.

"It...was...worth...it..." The King of Heroes slurred before passing out at Karen's feet.

Hands resting on her hips, Karen looked at the unconscious eirei in the same manner a mother looks at mud tracked into the house.

"Lancer, clean him up." The sister ordered in a tone that booked no room for argument, feigning deafness at the Irish hero's grumbling as he dragged the limp Servant away. Once more Karen seated herself at the organ, but no longer felt in the mood to continue the Bach piece she had been playing.

She paused for a moment, a mischievous smile crossing her angelic features. Slender fingers touched the keys once more as she began a new song, not originally intended for the organ, yet somehow...appropriate for the occasion.

**♪Dundundun Dun, Dun Dun Dun Dun, Dun dun dun dun duuunnnn♪ **


	7. Just Say No

**Title:** Just Say No  
**Characters: **Archer, Saber, Rin  
**Word Count: **1,015  
**Warning/s: **None, PG-13 rating.  
**Summary: **Drugs are bad, boys and girls!  
**Dedication: **For Umbra Elf. This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.-hearts-  
**A/N:** Just a bit of silliness I wrote after the fabulous Umbra Elf brought up the question "How would Saber react if she found out who Archer really was. Frankly, the way Umbra Elf described it can be done no justice by my words, so here it is, quoted:

"Like Saber finds out who he is, approaches him and says, "Hello Shirou, you grew up . . . well."

And Archer's like, "Oh shits."

Then Saber comes onto him and he's like, "Rin. RIN. ACK!"

Frankly, a concept as funny as randy!Saber deserves to be ficced, so I wrote this piece of nonsense, which I beg you all not to take seriously.

Fate/stay night © TYPE-MOON / Kadokawa Shoten / Studio DEEN.

* * *

Archer sat motionless as a statue on the roof of the Emiya house, hawk like gaze sweeping across the grounds for the slightest sign of trouble or Rin taking off her clothes. 

Sadly, neither appeared to be happening tonight. Judging by the sound of things, Rin and the others were just finishing up dinner, so there was no chance of the latter occurring anytime soon. The streets themselves were silent and empty as the grave, denying him even a fight to alleviate his crippling boredom.

A sudden noise caught his attention. For some reason Sakura was dragging Shirou outside awfully quickly, pulling him around a corner and out of sight. Slightly confused, Archer looked in the direction they had gone. While there wasn't anything wrong with rushing out in a hurry, there was still something suspicious about the look on Sakura's face...

"Shirou?" Saber called out as she stepped out into the courtyard, looking side to side for her Master. The petite blonde then caught sight of Archer, opening her mouth to say something when the..._strangest_ look passed across her face. Rather similar to the look a cat got before pouncing upon a slow, tasty mouse, it was disturbingly out of place amongst Saber's normally calm expressions.

Primal instincts deep within his mind urged Archer to flee, but far too slowly to be of any use, as Saber bounded onto the roof with a single leap. With the casual grace of one who knew her prey was without escape, she made her way to him, all the while with that unnerving, Rin-like smile on her face. He could personally attest to it, given the fact Saber was so far into his personal space she was practically approaching it from the other direction.

Ignoring the voice at the back of his head (currently screaming "RUN, YOU FUCKING MORON! RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!!), Archer moved back far enough that he and Saber _weren't_ plastered together.

Saber immediately made up the difference in space, smile growing wider.

"Saber," Archer asked warily, "Are you feeling alright?"

The tiny blonde practically beamed at him.

"I feel fine, Archer." Saber replied, eyes gleaming with something he did not want to name. One pale hand pressed itself firmly against his chest. "In fact, you feel fine too. Really, _really_ fine."

Archer choked on thin air at this, his desperate escape attempt hindered by Saber straddling his waist. While he had no problem with beautiful girls making advances on him, he didn't relish the feeling Saber was about to eat him either.

Not to mention Rin would kill him.

"Saber, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Archer demanded, trying his best to inject a note of authority into his voice. Not that he thought it would work on a girl who could blast him into dust, but he had to try for the sake of what little dignity he had left.

"I'm sure Rin wouldn't mind sharing you for a little bit." Saber pouted at him, small hands skimming dangerously close to the waistband of his pants.

"Yes, actually, I think she would." Archer managed to get out despite the feeling his brain was about to start leaking out his ears. "And leave my clothes alone."

Saber looked a few beats longer than was comfortable at his zipper before brightening up.

"Well, it's not like you need to be _completely_ naked-" She managed to get out before she toppled onto his chest, unconscious.

Rin stood behind the limp Servant, the hand she had used to stun the very-distracted Saber still held stiffly before her. The complete lack of an expression on her face was easily more scary than Saber had just been. At least Saber had been straightforward. When Rin masked her feelings, she could be feeling any number of emotions, especially ones that involved copious amounts of pain for hapless bystanders.

A long, tense moment passed before Rin's shoulders began to shake. His Master covered her mouth, but the muffled noises couldn't be mistaken for anything else.

"I'm glad you find this so amusing." Archer dryly said, carefully shifting Saber away from him.

"I-I'm sorry," Rin replied, wiping a few tears of laughter out of her eye. "But you looked so terrified of this tiny little girl coming on to you…"

"A tiny little girl with a great big glowing sword." Archer countered, irritated. "Good to know you weren't bothered by any of this."

Rin flushed slightly and looked away.

"When someone like Saber starts acting like that out of nowhere _and_ my only vial of Damiana leaf goes missing, it isn't hard to put two and two together. It does look a little like wakame when it's dried, so perhaps Shirou simply grabbed it by accident." Rin tossed her hair over her shoulder before continuing in a far quieter voice, "And you didn't encourage her at all, so I'm not upset..."

Archer smirked just a little as he scooped Saber up in his arms.

"What was that last part, Rin?"

Rin shot him a glare that should have left two smoking holes in his head, before gracefully leaping off the roof.

"I'll be waiting in my room." Rin coolly replied before turning on her heel and heading inside.

Archer followed her actions, mentally sighing as he landed on the courtyard ground, carefully laying Saber on the engawa .

_She's going to be on top tonight, isn't she?_, he thought, brow furrowing as a sudden realization struck him.

_If the Damiana leaf got in the food by accident...how come Saber was the only one who actually __**ate**__ any of it?_

Far away at the local supermarket she had dragged Shirou off to, Matou Sakura contained a growl of frustration, fingers clenching the empty vial with almost shattering strength.

_Stupid Saber! That miso was meant for Senpai! I'm not even going to get the deposit back on the hotel room now... _

Foiled again.

* * *

Note: Damiana is an actual aphrodisiac. XD Although I couldn't work in Archer's true identity, there was horny!Saber, which is what really mattered in the end. 


	8. Heaven Lies About Us

**Title:** Heaven Lies About Us  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters: **Issei-centric, Sexy Team Red/Black! Baby, implied Archer x Rin  
**Word Count: **351  
**Warning/s: **None. Set in alternate "Good End"-verse.  
**Summary: **_Heaven lies about us in our infancy_-Wordsworth  
**Dedication: **For Mini-I thought this drabblish fic, written on the fly, was good enough to save. 3

Fate/stay night © TYPE-MOON / Kadokawa Shoten / Studio DEEN.

* * *

Issei looked at the baby. The ridiculously cute, dark-haired Tohsaka baby, who could only have a core of molten evil despite her cherubic looks. After all, she was _Rin's_ baby. And Archer's.

The baby (as best as he could tell), looked back at Issei, waving one chubby pink hand at his finger, grabbing it with surprising firmness.

A beat passed, during which Issei looked carefully around, the little one holding his index finger all the while.

He was alone.

It was _safe_.

Slowly, his free hand slid into the pink bag hanging from the crib post, his captured arm gently moving back and forth to provide entertaining struggle.

Out came a stuffed lamb as big as the baby herself, joining a near mountainous pile of plush toys. She eyed her newest acquisition with a very Tohsaka-like appraising expression, before giving him her seal of approval with a happy coo, big grey eyes staring up at him like he was the center of the universe.

Issei melted, but not so much he couldn't hear the quiet laugh from the nursery door. Horrified, he turned (as much as possible with his finger still held) to see that Demon Woman standing in the doorway, slender shoulders trembling with mirth. Even her ivory-haired husband, slightly behind her, looked like he was trying to contain a laugh.

"I-issei," Rin gasped out weakly, "Isn't this the third one this week? We're going to have to expand the nursery at this rate."

The monk tried his hardest to gather the ragged tatters of his dignity, although the attempt would have been more successful on the whole without sticky baby kisses all over his hand. "Mental stimulation is vital to the development of a growing child."

Rin pressed her lips together, eyes dancing. "I'm impressed you think she can take that much at only ten months. You really have a high opinion of my baby, don't you?"

Issei groaned, clutching the Piffle Princess bag to his chest like a shield. "Merciless devil, do you have to kick a man while he's down?"

"Only you, Student Council Pres. Only you."


	9. Monogatari

**Title:** Monogatari  
**Rating:** PG-ish? Nothing too serious at any rate.  
**Characters:** Archer x Rin  
**Word Count:** 1,969  
**Warning/s:** None.  
**Summary:** The Kyudoka ronin known only as Archer was a dead man walking, and he knew it.  
**Dedication:**HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY, umbra elf! No hot dickings (yet), but this has me hooked for more, so expect them soon! love glomps  
**A/N:** An AU set in roughly 1450's Japan, with a semi-historical deviance in that the Saiou system (the system of the High Priestess of the Goddess Amaterasu) is still ongoing when it had actually been disbarred in the early 14th century, and that the Sakoku, or Isolationist Policy that strictly forbade foreigners from entering Japan or Japanese from leaving, started about two-hundred years early instead of the early 17th century. I've left some Japanese terms in for authenticity, but they'll all be defined at the bottom. I'm not sure if I'll expand on this idea, but Elf enjoyed it so I thought other people might too. I think that's it-enjoy!

Fate/stay night © TYPE-MOON / Kadokawa Shoten / Studio DEEN.

* * *

The Kyudoka ronin known only as Archer was a dead man walking, and he knew it. Knew it, and just didn't care. There was nothing to tie him to this world, all he had were tattered ideals and blood on his hands and death would free him from both soon enough.

There were no regrets, if only for his inevitable death and not his worthless life.

Mostly.

In spite of everything, the sword-smith within him clung to one last desire, unyielding despite his best efforts.

Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi. Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven.

Kusanagi.

The one blade left unrecorded by his sole magecraft.

The one blade that had always been beyond his reach.

Until now. But then, with the right leverage anything was possible.

Even if it came in the form of the _Saiou_, the High Priestess of Ise Shrine and the goddess Amaterasu.

Just a girl, barely of marriageable age. The first daughter of Emperor Tokiomi, if he recalled correctly. He had only heard of her appointment by divination on her fifteenth birthday two years ago, but had never actually met the girl despite his former...service...to her father.

Not that this mattered to him. Rin-hime was only a means to an end, after all. The miko would be the key to the blade, and once the blade was acquired and recorded he could surrender to the death warrant placed upon him for his severe violation of the Isolation Edict in his search for the great swords of foreign lands.

All this was the thought of an instant as he scaled the wall of the Saiku as silently and unnoticeably as air. The Saiou's residence possessed some extremely effective protective measures, but to a man who knew how to counter such things and had nothing left to lose at any rate, they were easy to overcome.

Within moments Archer stood before the shoji door of the Saiou's sleeping quarters, the two kunoichi guarding it having been disabled before given even a second to attack. A soft whisper was the only sound in the night as he slid the paper door open and stepped inside, steel-grey eyes automatically focusing on the slender figure asleep on the futon.

The girl-Rin-hime-stirred in her sleep, dark locks sliding away to expose her face in the pale moonlight that was his only illumination, and for the first time in his life Archer could say he had seen beauty greater than any master sword. Far greater-no sword, no item ever made to rend life before its time, could ever compare to such purity.

But he couldn't let himself be affected, couldn't let that flutter of feeling he had believed to be long dead to become anything more. He had his goal to accomplish, and then he would be free. No tool, no matter how lovely, was going to interfere with his plans. Carefully, he knelt by her side, watching the stirrings of growing wakefulness flutter across her face.

"Mm...A-ayako...what is it-" Rin-hime mumbled, before she registered the simple knife engraved with the characters for Seven Nights at her throat. Simple, but no less lethal for it. Perfect clarity came upon her in an instant, as an ocean-blue gaze calmly met his own with the dignity of one who was both the Crown Princess and Amaterasu-sama's Holy Maiden. "Remove that blade from my person at once and you may avoid the full wrath of the sun goddess, though I promise you nothing if you have killed my guards."

"Fear of the gods' wrath is only for those who haven't realized what life offers is worse, Saiou-sama." Archer replied coolly, tilting her chin up to angle the blade more. "But they are merely unconscious, for what it is worth. You are the only one I'm here for. To kill or to let live is up to you."

Rin-hime's eyes sparked with barely restrained anger that only intensified her beauty, her mouth opening to fire some devastating response only to have him beat her to it. "I want to see the Sword. And you will bring me to it."

Despite the knife to her throat, she still managed a incredulous look. "Why on earth are you at Ise, then? I find it hard to believe you are skilled and cunning enough to break in without upsetting the kekkai, defeat two of my strongest kunoichi without any effort, yet not possess the common knowledge that it is the Yata no Kagami we have at Ise, not Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi-"

He cut her off then, easily lifting her light form to her feet without budging the knife from her throat. "And that, Rin-hime, is because you forgot to take into account I wish to get to Kusanagi in one piece. To go straight to the Imperial Palace only to be killed long before getting a chance to see the blade would be rather pointless. But as long as your safety rests in my hands, my own survival is assured."

To his grudging admiration, the Saiou didn't flinch in the face of the knife or his tight grip on her arm. "Kill me, then. I'll never guide you to the Regalia Sword while I have the power to deny it to you."

Archer didn't miss a beat. "Your guards are alive now. They don't have to stay that way. Nor does anyone else who resides in the Saiku compound." Her face paled at that, a bitter satisfaction filling his stomach. "I don't want to take the sword for myself. I don't need to. Just to see it."

Those lovely cerulean eyes studied his face closely, and he suppressed the pang he felt at the choice he was forcing upon her. "Just to see it? And what will happen to me, if I go with you?"

"Only to look, an experienced miko like yourself should realize the level of my Touei spell proves the truth of my words. You are my key to getting to it, nothing more. I certainly have no interest in you as a woman." Archer's face let nothing escape. He had gotten so good at lying over the years he could almost believe the utter falsehood of that last sentence himself. Almost. "You won't be harmed if you cooperate."

Rin-hime's mask was good, but he saw her eyes flick to the limp bodies of the guards, to the window framing the view of the residences of her retinue, staff, and servants. "And if I don't?"

"They'll all die, Rin-hime." Archer responded without hestitation. "Give in, Saiou-sama. You can't win against a man with nothing to lose and who wouldn't care if he had."

For the first time since he entered her chambers the air of uncompromising strength Rin-hime possessed wavered, her delicate shoulders slumping gently in defeat. It took Archer a second to remember how young she really was, not even truly a woman yet. He ignored the pang again as their eyes met. "Then I have no choice but to go with you. Will my kidnapper at least give me his name, seeing as he already knows mine?"

"Gather your traveling case, Saiou-sama. I know it has already been prepared with basic necessities need for the trip from Ise to the capital." Archer ordered flatly, his knife-arm utterly steady as he followed the miko to where the item in question lay, forcibly repressing the self-loathing that arose at the sad look on her face.

"And now, Fukuseisha?" Rin-hime asked, voice leached of all emotion.

"This." A single pinch to a pressure point and the Saiou was unconscious, her slight frame falling right into his arms. Archer told himself it didn't feel good, and nearly succeeded in believing it.

* * *

Rin woke up in time for the lantern lights of the Saiku to just disappear from her line of vision. She was in the arms of the strange man, and though his hands were empty, she was well aware he could quickly kill her before she could effectively kill him or at least escape. Numbly, she stared at the mane of the handsome black stallion the kidnapper was skillfully riding, offering a silent prayer to Amaterasu-sama. It was really all she had at this point, other than the fledgling hope he'd keep his word when he said she wouldn't be harmed.

"Archer." He rumbled, shocking her out of her morose reverie.

"W-what..." She began weakly, startled.

"It's the only name I've ever had. But you asked for it, so I'm giving it to you."

Utterly lost, she stared up at him for answers that they both knew weren't going to come.

"Rest while you can. We'll be in Tsu in an hour, and after a night's stay, we'll head to Kyoto."

"To the Palace."

"Obviously. In a few days, you can get on with your life, Rin-hime, and I can be relieved of mine. Help me and it'll be over that much faster."

_I just wish I could believe that_, Rin thought, sneaking another glance at him before tiredly resting her head against his chest. _But I have a feeling-a premonition?-things are destined to become far more complicated..._

_**To Be Continued...?**_

Terms

_Kyudoka_-Master of Japanese Archery. Needed to make a distinction between Archer the character and Archer the occupation. XD

_Ronin_-Masterless samurai. Archer is one since he no longer serves the Emperor and is now a wanderer.

_Saiou_-An unmarried female relative of the Japanese emperor, sent to Ise to serve at Ise Grand Shrine as High Priestess from the late 7th century until the 14th century. The post is officially disbarred, but the tradition itself continues to this day.

_Saiku_-A village located approximately 10 kilometers north-west of Ise Shrine, arguably the most significant Shinto shrine in Japan. Sometimes referred to as the Bamboo Palace, Saikū served as the palace and public offices of the Saiou.

_Touei_-Projection/Gradiation Air. The Japanese name for what Archer is doing when he Traces stuff using the raw materials from Unlimited Blade Works

_Fukuseisha_-Japanese term for Faker, A term for those that are adept at projection (Gradation Air) type spells. Archer is probably the best Faker in human history.

Seven Nights-Little Tsukihime cameo here by the blade used by the main character, Tohno Shiki. True name is "Nanaya".

_Monogatari_-Archaic Japanese for "tale".

_Kekkai-_Barrier.


End file.
